Colson Smith, 19, who plays Craig Tinker on Coronation Street, meets the show's number one fan, Dannevirke's Beth Paris, at her home on Tuesday. Photo/Christine McKay
Colson Smith, 19, who plays Craig Tinker on Coronation Street, meets the show's number one fan, Dannevirke's Beth Paris, at her home on Tuesday. Photo/Christine McKay
Dannevirke's Beth Paris has watched Coronation Street for as long as we've had television in New Zealand and to have a star of the show in her living room was a dream come true.
"I've watched Coro right from the beginning. From the days when it was on every night,through until now when it screens two nights a week.
"I even sit up and watch it late, but if I miss an episode I catch up when it's repeated on Saturday and Sunday," she said.
Earlier today Colson Smith took over our Twitter account and answered your questions. Here are the results:
http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/social/ask-corrie-with-colson-smith
"Coronation Street is the life for a lot of people," she said.
"I have two granddaughters who watch it, but not as religiously as me."
For Mrs Paris, who is likely to be one of New Zealand's most devoted fans of the programme, to have Coro star Colson Smith, 19, walk through her door late Tuesday afternoon was something very special.
Colson has played Craig Tinker on the soap since 2011.
Mrs Paris said she also liked all the old characters such as Ken Barlow and Rita Tanner.
"Gail Rodwell [also Potter, Tilsley, Platt, Hillman and McIntyre] makes me angry every now and then," she said. "But you need those types of character in the show.
"Even Sally gets me quite angry at times. But what I find so good about Coro is when they start a new storyline they don't spend months getting to the crunch. That's why I won't miss an episode."
But there are the occasional twists that catch Mrs Paris unawares.
"Leeane Battersby and Steve McDonald's one-night stand, that was a real surprise," she said.
And while she remembers early characters such as Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell with fondness, Mrs Paris says some of the later characters, "have taken the show to the edge".
